The Indian National Satellite System or INSAT, is a series of multipurpose geostationary satellites launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to satisfy telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology, and search and rescue operations. Commissioned in 1983, INSAT is the largest domestic communication system in the Indo-Pacific Region. It is a joint venture of the Department of Space, Department of Telecommunications, India Meteorological Department, All India Radio and Doordarshan. The overall coordination and management of INSAT system rests with the Secretary-level INSAT Coordination Committee.
The GSAT satellites are India's indigenously developed communications satellites, used for digital audio, data and video broadcasting. As of 5 December 2018, 20 GSAT satellites manufactured by ISRO have been launched, out of which 14 are in service.
ELA-3 is a launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. Currently inactive, the complex was first used in June 1996 in support of the now retired Ariane 5 rocket. ELA-3 is 21 square kilometres (8.1 sq mi) in size.
INSAT-2E is an Indian geostationary communications and weather satellite which is operated by the Indian National Satellite System. It is positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 83° East, from where it is used to provide communications services to Asia and Australia. It also carries two meteorological instruments; the Very High Resolution Radiometer, and a CCD camera capable of returning images with a resolution of one kilometre.
INSAT 3E is a defunct communication satellite built by Indian Space Research Organisation. It was launched on September 28, 2003, from the European Space Agency's spaceport in French Guiana on board the Ariane rocket. The satellite had a launch mass of 2750 kilograms. It is the 4th satellite launched in the INSAT-3 series for INSAT. It was designed for providing high-speed communication, Television, VSAT & Tele-education services and was an important landmark in Indian Space Programme.
INSAT-3A, a multipurpose satellite built by ISRO was launched by Ariane in April 2003. It is located at 93.5 degree East longitude. It is third satellite in INSAT-3 series after INSAT-3B & INSAT-3C. Built at a cost of $53 mn, it provides communication, weather, and search and rescue services.
GSAT-8 or INSAT-4G is communication satellite. It was constructed by the Indian Space Research Organisation, as part of INSAT system. GSAT-8 was launched on May 21, 2011, from Kourou, French Guiana. The rocket, an Ariane 5 was the carrier, marketed by the European Arianespace. First satellite to carry GAGAN payload followed up by GSAT-10 and in-orbit spare GSAT-15.
GSAT-10 is an Indian communication satellite which was launched by Ariane-5ECA carrier rocket in September 2012. It has 12 KU Band, 12 C Band and 6 lower extended c band transponders, and included a navigation payload to augment GAGAN capacity. Following its launch and on-orbit testing, it was placed in Geosynchronous orbit at 83.0° East, from where it will provide communication services in India.
INSAT-1C was the third in the first generation INSAT series of satellites built by Ford Aerospace to satisfy the domestic communication requirement of India. The Govt. agencies using its services were All India Radio, Doordarshan, Department of Space and Indian Meteorological Department
INSAT-2B was the second satellite in the INSAT 2 Series that was successfully launched for telecommunication and meteorological observation. This India satellite was launched on 23 July 1993 from Kourou, French Guiana and Ariane-4 being its launch vehicle. INSAT-2B is placed in the geostationary orbit at a longitude of 93.5 degree East. The satellites also carries a search and rescue(SAR) transponder, a data relay transponder and also high resolution radiometer. This radiometer has a resolution of 2 km (1.2 mi) in the normal visible band and of 8 km (5.0 mi) in the thermal infra red band.
GSAT-7 or INSAT-4F is a multi-band military communications satellite developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation. The Indian Navy is the user of the multi-band communication spacecraft, which has been operational since September 2013. According to defense experts, the satellite will enable the navy to extend its blue water capabilities and stop relying on foreign satellites like Inmarsat, which provide communication services to its ships.
Inmarsat-4A F4, also known as Alphasat and Inmarsat-XL, is a large geostationary communications I-4 satellite operated by United Kingdom-based Inmarsat in partnership with the European Space Agency. Launched in 2013, it is used to provide mobile communications to Africa and parts of Europe and Asia.
INSAT-4B was an Indian communications satellite which forms part of the Indian National Satellite System. Launched in 2007, it was placed in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 93.48° East.
INSAT-3DR is an Indian weather satellite built by the Indian Space Research Organisation and operated by the Indian National Satellite System. It will provide meteorological services to India using a 6-channel imager and a 19-channel sounder, as well as search and rescue information and message relay for terrestrial data collection platforms. The satellite was launched on 8 September 2016, and is a follow-up to INSAT-3D.
GSAT-17 is an Indian communications satellite. Built by ISRO and operated by INSAT, it carries 24 C-band, 2 lower C-band, 12 upper C-band, 2 CxS, and 1 SxC transponders. It additionally carries a dedicated transponder for data relay (DRT) and search-and-rescue (SAR) services. At the time of launch, GSAT-17 was the heaviest satellite built by ISRO.
GSAT-29 is a high-throughput communication satellite developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission aims at providing high-speed bandwidth to Village Resource Centres (VRC) in rural areas. The two Ku and Ka operational payloads will provide communication services to Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast India under Digital India programme. At the time of launch GSAT-29 was the heaviest satellite, weighing 3,423 kg (7,546 lb), that was placed in orbit by an Indian launch vehicle. Approved cost of GSAT-29 is ₹175.63 crore (US$21 million).
INSAT-2C was an Indian geostationary communications spacecraft. It is ISRO's third indigenous communications satellite.
